Online news content, read aloud by professional voice actors

Umano is a service that delivers the news read aloud by professional actors, which could be particularly useful for the visually impaired.

It may take just a click or two for most of us to find the news we’re interested in on the web, but for convenience sake there’s still nothing like being able to sit back and hear it read professionally. That’s according to Umano, a service from San Francisco-based mobile app developer SoThree that delivers the news read aloud by professional actors. With free apps now available for both iOS and Android, Umano aims to marry the best journalism on the web with the convenience of delivery that has long been afforded by radio news. “Umano takes insightful content found online and has professional voice actors tell the story,” the company explains. “The amalgamation of high-quality journalism and convenient delivery is what makes Umano different from traditional radio, podcasts and other audio news applications like NPR.” Users of the app can browse the most interesting articles from top news sources as well as seeing what their friends are listening to. In addition, they can personalize their listening experience by selecting categories and making playlists; download playlists for offline listening; and share interesting articles with their friends. Self-service may be the dominant way of life on the web, but is there a growing niche among news consumers seeking a more catered experience? Media entrepreneurs: food for thought.